Occupant protection apparatus

Abstract

An occupant protection apparatus includes a driver. The driver includes a drive unit, a support shaft, a movable seat pan supported by the support shaft such that the movable seat pan is inclinable in a front-rear direction, a guide groove, a movement pin that is movable along the guide groove, a link that couples the movable seat pan to the movement pin, and an energy absorber. The guide groove includes a first guide groove portion in which the movement pin moves when the movable seat pan is inclined rearward and a second guide groove portion in which the movement pin moves when the movable seat pan is inclined forward. The energy absorber is configured to absorb at least part of a forward load from an occupant when the movement pin moves in the second guide groove portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An occupant protection apparatus configured to be applied to a vehicle seat including a cushion portion designed to be seated by an occupant, the occupant protection apparatus comprising a driver configured to be arranged below the cushion portion, wherein
 the occupant protection apparatus is configured to protect the occupant from a frontal impact on a vehicle through the cushion portion by driving the driver when the impact is detected or predicted, 
 the driver includes:
 a drive unit; 
 a support shaft; 
 a movable seat pan supported by the support shaft such that the movable seat pan is inclinable in a front-rear direction; 
 a guide groove; 
 a movement pin that is movable along the guide groove; 
 a link that is swingingly coupled to a portion of the movable seat pan and that couples, to the movement pin, the portion of the movable seat pan, which portion of the movable seat pan is located away from the support shaft; and 
 an energy absorber, 
 
 the movable seat pan includes a wall that defines an outer shape of the movable seat pan, the support shaft being arranged on the wall, 
 the movable seat pan is configured to:
 be inclined at an inclined position before the impact is detected or predicted; 
 be inclined rearward so as to be standing upright in an upright position when receiving a rearward force from the drive unit in response to a detection or prediction of the impact; and 
 be inclined forward by a forward load from the occupant when the rearward force is reduced or eliminated, 
 
 the guide groove includes:
 a first guide groove portion in which when the movement pin moves rearward, the movable seat pan moves rearward and upward; and 
 a second guide groove portion which is connected to the first guide groove portion and in which when the movement pin moves forward, the movable seat pan moves forward and downward, wherein the first guide groove portion and the second guide groove portion generally form a V-shape, and 
 
 the energy absorber is configured to absorb at least part of the load when the movement pin moves in the second guide groove portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The occupant protection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the drive unit includes an airbag, and 
 the airbag is configured to be inflated by inflation gas supplied from a gas generator so as to apply the rearward force to the movable seat pan inclined at the inclined position when the impact is detected or predicted. 
 
     
     
       3. The occupant protection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the movement pin has a columnar shape, and 
 the second guide groove portion includes, as the energy absorber, a region with a width that is smaller than a diameter of the movement pin. 
 
     
     
       4. The occupant protection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the movable seat pan is supported by the support shaft at a portion serving as a lower end when the movable seat pan is standing upright at the upright position, 
 the first guide groove portion extends in the front-rear direction, 
 the second guide groove portion extends in the front-rear direction below the first guide groove portion, 
 a rear end of the second guide groove portion is connected to a rear end of the first guide groove portion, 
 the movement pin is located at the rear end of the first guide groove portion when the movable seat pan is standing upright at the upright position, and 
 the rear end of the first guide groove portion is located forward of the support shaft. 
 
     
     
       5. The occupant protection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the wall includes a side wall, and 
 the support shaft is arranged on a portion of the side wall, the portion of the side wall serving as a lower end of the side wall when the movable seat pan is standing upright at the upright position. 
 
     
     
       6. The occupant protection apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the first guide groove portion extends in the front-rear direction, 
 the second guide groove portion extends in the front-rear direction below the first guide groove portion, 
 a rear end of the second guide groove portion is connected to a rear end of the first guide groove portion, 
 the movement pin is located at the rear end of the first guide groove portion when the movable seat pan is standing upright at the upright position, and 
 the rear end of the first guide groove portion is located forward of the support shaft.